Vehicle Overview
The XC70 is an offroad-themed version of Volvo's traditional V70 wagon, and both models have been redesigned. (The V70 is covered in a separate report.) The XC70's exterior and interior styling has been revised, and it features a new inline-six-cylinder engine. The wagon now comes with adjustable child booster seats in the second row.

Collision Warning with Brake Support and Blind Spot Information System are two Volvo safety features available in the XC70. Collision Warning with Brake Support uses a light and sound to warn the driver if it senses a collision may occur with a car in front of the XC70, and brakes if the driver doesn't respond to its alert. BLIS, meanwhile, keeps tabs on cars on either side. The XC70 arrives at dealerships in late 2007.

Exterior
The front of the XC70 features a new grille that's similar in appearance to the one on Volvo's XC90 SUV. The nose of the wagon is distinguished from the V70 by its bright fog light surrounds and dark bumper cladding. High-intensity-discharge headlights that turn in concert with the steering wheel are optional.

The wagon's cladding extends around the lower edge of the XC70's sides and around back to the rear bumper, where the XC70 has a flat-black treatment with a bright-colored section, compared to the V70's body-colored bumper. Ground clearance is 8.27 inches.

Interior
Like the V70, the five-seat XC70 has a simple dashboard layout with a floating center stack that houses audio and climate controls. Stylized trim pieces surround the dashboard air vents and console gear selector. A large speedometer and tachometer dominate the instrument panel; the centers of the gauges include supplementary information like fuel level and outside temperature. The rear seats are split 40/20/40, and the outboard ones can be heated.

Under the Hood
The XC70 has a 3.2-liter inline-six-cylinder engine that makes 235 horsepower. The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that features a manual mode for driver-controlled gear changes. All-wheel drive is standard, and Volvo's Four-C driver-adjustable suspension system is available. Hill Descent Control is designed to keep the XC70's speed at 6 mph when traversing challenging terrain.

Safety
Standard safety features include side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags that extend lower than before, and an electronic stability system. Volvo's WHIPS technology is designed to cradle front occupants during a rear-end crash.